Chelsea meet referees to clear air

Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck has met referees, including Mark Clattenburg, in an effort to clear the air after the match official was cleared of racially abusing one of the club's players.

Buck met all 16 members of the select group of top referees at the St George's Park national football centre yesterday, sources have confirmed.

The meeting was at the request of the match officials, who wanted to hold talks with Chelsea following the Football Association's decision last week to clear Clattenburg of a complaint by the club that he had allegedly told midfielder John Obi Mikel "shut up you monkey".

Clattenburg will referee his first match since the case tomorrow night when he takes charge of Southampton v Norwich.

He was fourth official at White Hart Lane on Sunday for the match between Tottenham and West Ham, which has seen the FA launch an investigation into anti-Semitic chants by some Hammers fans.

The meeting with Buck should now clear the way for Clattenburg to officiate at matches involving Chelsea in the future.